Nowhere to Climb
by Red Talon
Summary: "Intellectual superiority. It's what separates me from the filthy simpletons that roam the Earth's surface. It is what allows me to perceive the events currently transpiring as means to destroy the only man capable of defeating me. The Batman will fall. Gotham is mine." -The Riddler has finally beaten the Batman. But without his mental match, how can the Riddler prove himself?-
1. A Death in the Family

**Hey, guys! Riddler is one of my all-time favorites! I hope I write him in a way that holds true to the Riddler we all know and love. PLEASE COMMENT! Your support is what motivates me to write them! Have fun reading!**

"He's coming, Mr. Nygma."

"Good. Thank you, Tom," I said. I'm sure that this time, he will fail. This time, I win. I will outsmart the Batman.

I glance at the monitors. He just freed the police officers from the electrified grid puzzle. That means he's on his way here. I have 30 seconds before he arrives.

"Tom," I said. "Send out some men to slow him down. Bring a hostage if you must. There are 4 more in the back room."

"Sure thing, boss."

Gunshots. The hostage screams. Interesting. He took out those cretins faster than I predicted. Must hurry. Arm the bomb, the shocker, the gas, the turrets. 3 hostages. 1 choice. Weapons armed. The water is already flowing to 2 hostages. I wonder how long they can hold their breath. The bomb is armed underneath the last hostage.

In front of me lies 3 hallways. Each leads to a hostage. Automatic bulkheads to seal the way back. He can only save one.

Cassandra Hilton, wealthy Gotham socialite; Jack Ryder, well-known investigative reporter; Timmy Wagner, a washed-up drunk. Which will he save? Of course, he'll attempt to deactivate my weapons. That won't work. They're out of range of his disruptor. Years of studying his tactics. Finally, I'll win.

...

He's here.

The door flies open. "Give up, Nygma!"

I laugh. "Not one more move, Batman." I explain my little game.

"I've got a sniper on you now. I have my associate, Tom, with a hostage. Move an inch, and she dies along with you.

"You took 5 people, Nygma. I saved the first, this is the second. Where are the other 3?"

I laughed. "Oh, I was hoping you'd ask. You see, I've arranged a little game for you. In front of you, you'll find 3 corridors. Down one, is Cassandra Hilton; another, Jack Ryder; the other, Timothy Wagner. Who is where? Which will you save?

"You monster!"

"A monster I may be, dear friend. But, don't you have better things to do than call me names?"

He looks around, my sniper's targeting laser still shining on his face. He's looking for some control box, some sort of power switch. He won't find it. This portion of Gotham's sewer system hasn't been used in centuries. There is no power grid. All of my weapons and equipment run on external battery charges. I've done it. I've outsmarted him.

"Only one thing to do, Batman," I say. "Or 3 things… depending on your perspective."

The hostage is still squirming in front of Tom. Good. Leverage.

I speak once more. "Pick a hallway, Batman, or the hostage dies."

He sprints down the center hall. The bulkhead door seals behind him, locking him in.

What a fool.

"Tom, kill her."

"Yes, sir"

Gunshot.

Silence.

Everything is going according to plan. He deactivates my machinery along the way, meaning I can track him without cameras. He chose the correct hallway. I knew he'd shut off the the water to this portion of the sewer system. The only corridors with pipelines running through them were the two outer ones. Those hostages are safe; just like I planned.

He's gone for the drunk. The hostage down the center corridor. I lost the countdown on the bomb. He's deactivated it. Well done, Batman.

Now Wagner does the rest.

I activate the trigger around his wrist. He knows what to do.

Oh, the sweet sound of detonation.

"Get some men down there, Tom. I'll be along shortly."

I raise the bulkhead with the retinal scanner. Tom and his 'associates' charge through.

"Oh, shit… Mr. Nygma! We, we got him!"

Oh, victory is sweet. I proceed onward and come to rest at his body. He's not dead.

I remove the glistening emerald question mark from atop my cane to reveal a shining silver blade.

Straight through his head.

Gone.

I've done it.

I won.


	2. Finally

Riding in a limousine. My bodyguards, for once, don't smell like the slime of the city. I could get used to this. Finally, I am receiving the treatment I deserve. It would seem as if my victory over the Dark Knight last week has earned me an audience with Oswald Cobblepot himself.

The door is opened for me. I step outside. There's a nip in the air. Gotham docks. I'm here at the Iceberg Lounge Hotel and Casino. Assuming this deal with Mr. Cobblepot goes according to plan, by this time tomorrow, I'll be unstoppable.

I walk through the casino, bodyguards surrounding me. I'm superior. Finally my intellect is being recognized. There he is.

The Penguin.

"Dear me, old chum," he began. "How the bloody hell did you do it?"

I laughed. "Well, it was rather easy. I've spent all these years studying his tactics, his little toys, his skills. He likes to think that he is smarter that everyone else. All I did was make him think he outsmarted me."

"Come on then! Explain your trap!"

"Very well. I knew that he could use the sonar pulsars in his cowl to detect any threats and since lead is resistant to this form of x-raying, the old North Burnley sewer system was the perfect place to set the bait. I spent months putting it all together. There were 3 tunnels he could proceed to, each one sealing itself once he entered one. There was a hostage at the end of each passageway."

"So he could only save one…"

"Precisely, dear friend."

"Brilliant, Mr. Nygma."

"Indeed it was," I said. "I knew that he would've studied the blueprints for the sewers before he arrived, so he would know to shut off the water. You see, the two passageways on either end lead to run-off water holding tanks, the hostages would've drowned. I knew that he'd go for the hostage in the center, so that's where I placed my trap."

"The hostage was one of your own men?"

"Yes, yes he was. His orders were to use the trigger around his wrist to detonate the bomb."

"Oh, Eddie. The Batman I knew would never fall for something like that. And your henchman probably wouldn't even pull the trigger!"

"Of course not. That's why I, months before, installed an explosive microchip inside him. He, his name was Frank, I believe, had gone to get a prosthetic kidney transplant several months earlier. The implant he received had been… tampered with."

"You blew the poor bastard to pieces."

"Indeed, I did. Batman never saw it coming. He knelt next to poor Frankie to diffuse the bomb beneath him and when the bomb timer stopped, the other timer started. Batman started to lead the poor hostage to safety and, a few seconds later…"

"Bam." The Penguin laughed. "That is brilliant, you slimy bastard!"

"Well, yes. Yes, it was," I laughed. "Now, about this alliance…"

Stage two of my plan could now commence. Before the people of Gotham can fear me, its criminals must surrender to my genius. Cobblepot had already made arrangements with minor gangs and organizations, such as the Sharks, led by Warren White, and the Falcone Mob. But, those are simply the pawns. To win the game, you must take out the royalty. For those are the powerful pieces.

Our first target is Harvey Dent, aka Twoface. He has recently expanded his gang and rules nearly half of Gotham. Second, I'll take down the drug smuggling operations led by Roman Sionis, whose return to power is also fairly recent. Lastly, I'll work to absorb the mob of Sal Maroni, who deals in human trafficking.

The Penguin has ensured that I have a comfortable place to stay and oversee my operations by affording me the luxurious Presidential Suite, covering the penthouse floor of his grand hotel. From here I'll be able to host meetings for all of my 'associates', oversee every operation, and, most importantly, keep an eye on the Batman's little friends at their humble abode.

Their fortress of solitude, so to speak.

The one place the think they can hide.

The so called Batcave.

Wayne Manor.


	3. Empty

It's quiet up here. Peaceful. From above, Gotham is a gleaming city of the future. It isn't until you're actually down there that you realize what a cesspit of filth the city truly is.

A knock at the door. A maid dressed far too scantily, approaches me. She attempts to appear confident and sultry, but I can see that she is feeling timid, perhaps uneasy.

"They're here, Mr. Nygma."

"Send them in, dear."

"Yes, sir."

Her name tag read, Diedre Vance.

"And, Diedre?" She spun around to address me.

"Yes, sir?"

"You needn't to fear me. I would never hurt such an intelligent girl."

"Thank you, Mr. Nygma."

"Please, call me Edward."

The conference room of the Presidential Suite is now filled with my associates. They're all here because I told them to be. I have power. They fear me. They should.

I take my seat at the head of the table. Oswald sits at the other.

"Quiet down, everyone," he says. "Your boss is here."

Before me sits Warren White, the Great White Shark; Carmine Falcone and his son, Alberto; various brutes and the leaders of smalltime gangs; then, there are my lieutenants. The psychologist turned madman, Johnathan Crane, aka the Scarecrow; Jarvis Tetch, the crazed hypnotist, aka the Mad Hatter; and lastly Waylon Jones, otherwise known as Killer Croc.

They're all right to sign on with the Penguin and I. There's a revolution growing, festering beneath the surface of Gotham city. They're lucky to be on this side of my takeover. The winning side.

The Penguin will serve as my right-hand-man and financial advisor. The Scarecrow is working on a chemical weapon along with the Mad Hatter, for me to use in my future assault on the City Hall and the GCPD Headquaters. Croc, I keep around for the muscle. Should Bane return, I daresay that I'll need more than my mind to defeat him. With the Sharks under my control, Amusement Mile is mine, making it that much easier to move in on Twoface's territory. Falcone's mob has a lot of loyal men and many connections in the arms industry. Carmine should be able to provide my forces with guns and ammunition for the upcoming war with Maroni's crime family.

I laugh. It's pathetic how much this city relied on him, the Batman. Without him, Gotham is mine for the taking.

"Listen here, cretins," I began. "Harvey Dent, more commonly known as Two-Face controls nearly all of Eastern Gotham. Tomorrow night, we're going to take it from him. Falcone's men are to muster near the east end of the Gotham Pioneer's Bridge. The Sharks are to rally near the entrance to Amusement Mile. From there, both groups will move in from either side, trapping Dent in his base of operations, the abandoned Solomon Wayne Courthouse. You are not to kill Dent. I'll need him later. The Penguin will assign you to your individual objectives, squads, and targets. If this operation is successful, we'll have more territory, power, and money than we'll know what to do with. Don't fail me. That will be all. Farewell."

The Penguin stood as I left and began to assign the men to their objectives, as I ordered him to.

Everything seems to be going as planned, though I somehow feel… emptiness.

It is of little concern to me. Once Gotham is mine, I'll have all the power and all the respect that I need, that I deserve.

Diedre approaches me. "Mr. Nyg- um, Edward?"

"Yes, dear? What do you need?"

"Must I accompany you upstairs?"

I began to laugh. "Oh, no, Ms. Vance You mustn't serve me in such reprehensible fashions. I believe you'll find that I am a cut above your usual cliental here at the Iceberg Lounge."

She sighed in relief. "Thank you, Mr. Nygma. Thank you very much. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call."

She smiled and walked into the kitchen.

I smiled. How could such an intelligent girl be working a mundane and degenerative job such as this?

No matter. Come tomorrow, Dent is mine. He will fear me. He will cower before my intellect. Him, and then the rest.


	4. Trust

I awoke the next morning with a fire burning deep within my soul. I've never in my life felt so accomplished. It was I, the Riddler, who finally defeated the Batman and every denizen of Gotham City loves me for it.

With my intellect, Cobblepot's resources, White's men, and Falcone's firepower, I'm unstoppable.

Gotham is mine.

Dent falls first.

I descended the marble staircase from my bedroom and was greeted by Ms. Vance, today's uniform far more revealing than the last. Oswald sure knows how to run a Casino.

After breakfast, I proceeded down through the elevator to Cobblepot's office.

"Eddie! We're almost ready for tonight's operation," he squawked.

"Good," I replied. "Harvey may already have received a warning."

The Penguin was confused "What do you mean? How could he have known?"

"Sorry to say, old chum, but Dent has much more money than the likes of you. Someone could've sold the warning to him."

"Nygma, I assure you, I w-"

"Save it, Oswald. I know why you're working with me and it isn't out of the goodness of your heart. You were at the very top of the food chain. You reached the top and had nowhere to climb, and you couldn't deal with all that boredom, could you?"

The Penguin was obviously nervous.

"So you decided to branch off into different cities, Central, Starling, it doesn't matter. Those operations failed, you lost your money, and let Two-Face and Maroni in on your territory here in Gotham, meanwhile Black Mask resurfaces and takes the drug smuggling industry right from under your beak."

Cobblepot gulped in fear.

"You want revenge but, most of all, you want your power back. You could've had both, but things have changed. The only power you get is the power I give you. You work for me, understand?"

"Yes. Yes, sir," the Penguin whimpered.

"I'm glad we could reach an understanding. Prepare a limousine. Have it here in half an hour."

"Yes, sir," the Penguin replied.

"And, Oswald? Send Ms. Diedre Vance to my office."

"Of course, sir."

Ah, what a beautiful little office. No wires everywhere, no tiny, stolen monitors, no jury-rigged computation systems, just a high-powered PC drive attached to numerous monitors, giving me feeds from every camera, cellphone, even automatic door in the city. At long last my brilliance is being appreciated and recognized.

That's odd; there hasn't been anyone in the Batcave or the mansion for weeks. I'll ha-

"You wanted to see me, Mr. Nygma?"

I spun around. "Ah! Ms. Vance. Yes, I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it, sir?"

"Do you like your job?"

"Well, I, um… Mr. Cobb-"

"Answer truthfully, dear."

"Well, no, sir. I don't. My friend Nina and I have been trying to leave but we're stuck in a contract with Mr. Cobblepot."

"Of course you don't. Very well, Ms. Vance. You and your friend mustn't work for that awful man any longer. You're both free to leave. I'll ensure that you receive a good sum of funds every month or so. We'll start at, say… 1 million."

I turned to the computer to my left and initiated a wire transfer straight out of Cobblepot's personal funds.

"Oh my goodness, Mr. Nygma! Thank you! Thank you, I'll never forget this!"

"It was no problem at all, Ms. Vance. Return to the penthouse and collect your things. There's a limousine waiting for you outside the lobby that will take you anywhere you wish to go.

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir!" Ms. Vance spun around faster than a top and hurried to the Presidential Suite, barely able to contain her excitement, the clack of her heels on the hardwood flooring like an echo throughout the hotel.

It wasn't long before Cobblepot and some of his brutes arrived at my door.

I heard the Penguin yell with anger. "Then break down the bloody door! I want in to that office!"

The door crashed open and flew off the hinges, leading just a few feet in front of me. The Penguin entered followed by his men, a sneer on his face, his umbrella in hand.

"What the devil are you doing, you sluggish bastard?!" Lettin' my staff out of contracts, givin' off my money! You think you own this city now, Nygma, you're wrong! You hear me? You're bloody wrong!"

I sprung from my chair and faced him. He jumped back in fear and surprise.

"Now, you listen to me, Cobblepot! I've spent months upon months planning this operation and it is detailed in my mind down to the very letter! I will not have a simple-minded imbecile like you ruin this for me, regardless of your economic status. As I clearly demonstrated 5 minutes earlier, your funds are mine, your men are mine, and your empire is mine. You only breathe because I allow it; you have only been permitted to continue your pathetic life because I have allowed you to."

Realizing his mistake, the Penguin signaled his men to stand down. He began to apologize when I interrupted him.

"Listen, Cobblepot. I was satisfied with this partnership but it would seem as if you are not. You took steps to ensure my defeat, and now, I am retaliating against your betrayal. You think these men work for you? You and what money?"

The four men surrounding the Penguin shifted their aim to their former boss and moved to either side of me, ready to defend me with their lives.

The Penguin begged. "Please, Nygma, I had to! Dent has powerful friends, if they knew I was invol-"

I interrupted him once again. _"You can have me but cannot hold me, gain me and quickly lose me, if treated with care I can be great, and if betrayed I will break. What am I?"_

The Penguin tried with every ounce of willpower he could muster to decipher the riddle.

"Time's up, 'old chum'," I said with a grin.

One of the goons shot the Penguin through the heart.

The Penguin fell to the ground, his blood staining the carpet beneath him.

I frowned. "You should've known that one. It was easy…"

I then signaled my men to hide the body and left the office with a smile on my face.


	5. Execution

I walked into the conference room gleaming with confidence. The men, the minds and muscle alike, quieted down as I entered. Now, just as I predicted, it's all mine. The money, the weapons, the hotel, casino, the men. Mine. There was only one way to get this operation off the ground; money. Cobblepot has, more appropriately, 'had' more than enough to finance my growing empire. I needed to get in with him, I did. I needed him out of the way once I'd got my hands on his banking codes and funds, both legitimate and secretive. I knew that eventually, his greed would get the better of him. I simply had to wait for the window of opportunity to present itself to me. Killing Cobblepot out of the blue would've been far too risky. Most of these men are loyal to him. So I waited for him to give me a reason.

"Good day to you, gentlemen! It would seem as if Mr. Cobblepot, our noble benefactor and host, has betrayed us. He warned Two-Face of our incoming attack."

Shocked gasps and concerned murmur filled the room. I raised my right hand in the air to silence them.

"Fear not, my friends. For my brilliance allowed me to foresee this betrayal and I've already planned accordingly. My lieutenants, Warren White, Carmine and Alberto Falcone, Scarecrow, and Croc, are already aware of the new plan. Instead of taking out rival gangs with our own equipment, we'll use the late Dark Knight's weaponry to force them to submit."

A tall, muscular man with a scar over his mouth stood. "Um, boss? How are we gettin' this stuff?"

"Oh, dear me. You simple-minded fool. You underestimate me. The Great White Shark will explain the operation to you and Killer Croc will be leading you to the weapons' location."

Another concerned brute stood and spoke. "Where's the Hatter? Wasn't he working for you?"

I smiled. I couldn't help it. "White?" I said, ignoring the man's question. "Start the briefing."

As I took my seat at the head of the long, mahogany table, Mr. White stood to address the thugs.

"Listen up, boys. We've got a simple mission for you. Go to the Batcave, place the boss' microchip in the Batman's computer system, and get out. Now, why do we need all of you? Answer is: we don't."

The brutes whispered amongst themselves. Warren went on.

"Only 30 of you will go to the Batcave with Croc, that's Falcone's men. The rest of you, my guys, will be at the Gotham Merchants Bank. The idea is to make it look like a simple robbery, the operation at the Batcave is far too important for the Commish' and his lackeys to screw it up. Got it? 30 at the cave, 20 at the bank, and the rest of you stay here. Falcone has some work for ya."

"Well said, good sir," I said, returning to a stand. "Don't you cretins have places to be? Get going! Croc is waiting for you at the back door of the casino. Go through the lobby down to the hidden dock behind the gambling rooms."

The men poured out of the conference room. Croc can handle it. White leads his men downstairs to the trucks that'll take them to the bank. Alberto pulls some men aside to have them unload and store our latest weapons shipment. The Scarecrow approaches me.

"Well, Nygma. It looks like we've got this under control. We're off to a glorious start. But, if I may, where is the Mad Hatter?"

I turned to face my accomplice. "Is the toxin ready?"

"Of course. We completed it this morning. There's enough of it to gas half the city in the basement storage facility."

"Creating the toxin was his purpose. The toxin is completed."

I casually reached for my cane, to draw the blade concealed within.

"He no longer had a purpose. I had no further use for him."

Scarecrow grew uneasy. He backed up and leaned against the smooth table.

"You see, I dislike working with lunatics."

I draw my blade. It glistens under the fluorescent lights above us.

"You're insane! You're crazy," the Scarecrow screamed.

"That would imply mental instability or derangement. I suffer from neither. You, however, are very ill."

I plunged my blade into his heart. He fell to the ground, gasping for his final breath.

Carmine Falcone, still standing behind me, let out a short gasp of nervousness, perhaps even… fear.

"Dispose of the body. Put it with Cobblepot's."

"You bet, boss. Anything you say."

Now that there aren't any potential spoilers or betrayals…

It's time to begin phase 3.


	6. Staring Back

Croc's forces should be downstairs by now. Shark, no doubt, has already left with his men. I almost regret lying to Croc and Carmine's guys. Falcone was a valuable asset, though he'd inevitably betray me. I suppose, it's all for the best that I betray him first.

I walk into the elevator down the hall. 19 stories down, Croc awaits my arrival. Once I get down there, I'll send them to the "Batcave," or so they think.

So much deceit, so little time…

It would seem as if I've arrived in the lobby. Now to transverse this cesspit of crooked businessmen and social elitists.

The smooth doors of the elevator slide open. I'm greeted with smiles and handshakes. My lieutenant, Mr. Warren White, obviously didn't waste any time in establishing me as the new owner of the Iceberg Lounge. It seems as if everyone here is waiting to congratulate me.

I eventually make my way to the back door. I proceed through a restricted access hallway and continue down the stairs to the hidden docks beneath the south portion of the casino.

I emerge from the stairwell to breathe in the musty city air. The moon glistens over the water, casting a gloomy reflection onto the dark city of sin.

"Quiet down, you slugs," Croc growled. "The boss is here."

"Thank you, Croc," I say with a smile. I address the mass of ignorance and muscle before me.

"Alright, my loyal companions, this is your moment of glory! You all will go down in history as the men who broke into the Batcave. Your boss, Mr. Falcone, should be proud."

The crowd got excited. They seem to be buying it. I'm no Basil Karlo, but I can put on quite a show…

"Croc? Listen. The Batcave is located under an abandoned warehouse owned by AmerTek . The warehouse is number 7 at the Dixon Docks. Be there by 1:20, that's about an hour, and be out by 3:00."

"Okay, boss," Croc replied.

I ordered the men into the trucks that will transport them to the warehouse. Croc boards his truck and signals them all to depart. With the whirring of tires and the murmurs of the brutes, my noble infantry departs. They have sacrificed themselves for the good of my empire. They just don't realize it yet…

I return to my office and arm the toxin dispensers in the warehouse's air conditioning system when in walks two of my associates, Carmine and Alberto Falcone.

"Nygma!" Mr. Carmine seems displeased. Interesting.

"I saw the plans in your room, Nygma! What is this toxin that you've got? Why is it going to the same place as my men? You slimy bastard! You won't get away with betraying me, Nygma!"

Oh, dear me…

"Carmine, Carmine, Carmine… You really shouldn't have been snooping around in there."

Once again, I draw my blade. Once again, a partner of mine falls. Once again, I see the blood run from his body. It's almost become systematic. Well, of course, systematic is good. Systematic keeps things running smoothly. But, this crusade of conquest has grown very dull. It's not as fun as it used to be. There's nothing for me to do but wipe out the other criminals. Even that isn't a challenge. There's no goal to achieve, no destination to move toward. Nowhere to climb.

Alberto draws his weapon, a loaded Desert Eagle handgun. How predictable.

"Well, Alberto, you could kill me right now but it wouldn't do you much good, would it?"

He hesitated for a moment. That's all the time I needed.

Another thrust. Another body. Another betrayal. Another puddle. How bland my life has become…

A call on my private line. I pick up the phone and hear a man speak.

"Hit me hard and I will crack. But you'll never stop me from staring back. What am I?"

"A mirror, Warren. That one was easy," I laughed. "I presume you are requesting my presence?"

"Yeah, boss. Sionis is on his way with a heap load o' goons. I made sure that he knew it was me robbing him. He's coming down here thinking he'll teach me a lesson."

"Excellent work, my friend. I'll arrive shortly. I'll take Penguin's helicopter to the roof. Send some men to escort me down. Kill as many of his brutes as you wish but save him for me. I wish to speak to him."

"Sure thing, boss. Did you infect Falcone's men yet? If Sionis knows we're in here, the cops do to. Last thing we need is both of 'em in our asses. We need those loonies as a distraction, just like we planned."

"Don't worry, my friend. Everything is proceeding excellently."

I hang up the phone and turn to my computer screens. I pull the camera feeds from the bank. Warren and his men are in position awaiting Sionis' arrival. I pull the feeds from the Dixon Docks. Croc's men are almost to the warehouse. I'll keep an eye on them. Soon, they'll be in position for toxin dispersal. Still nothing from my friends beneath Wayne Manor… It seems as if they're lost without their little mentor. Good. That's one less thing I'll have to deal with. It's best that they accept their defeat before my brilliance.

Soon, the toxin will disperse and infect Croc and Falcone's mob, then, while the police deal with the ensuing riots, the Black Mask's funding, weaponry, territory, and operations will be mine and Gotham will be one step closer to oblivion.


	7. Brilliance to Brutality

Warren and his men have arrived at the Gotham Merchants Bank. Warren has lured the crime lord known as Black Mask to the bank to defend it as it is owned by his alter ego, Roman Sionis. When Black Mask arrives to protect his investments, I'll be waiting for him. But I won't come alone. A friend of mine will provide my men with support in the inevitable shootout. The best "support" money can buy.

A faint beep from the monitors demands my attention. I glace at the security feeds from the warehouse. Croc and his men are in position. There is a miniscule window of opportunity. I must activate the toxin dispersal machines hidden in the air ducts.

Done.

I can see it on the monitors. The room quickly fills with a faint green neurotoxin tinting the air. Scarecrow and the Mad Hatter, though manic, are master chemists. I, though it pains me to admit, could not have accomplished this without them. They served me well.

The toxin is a solution concocted from a derivation of the Joker's signature 'Joker Gas' with added elements from Scarecrow's fear gas as well as several drops of Ivy's plant pheromones. The Joker gas blocks some of the brain's neural passageways, resulting in schizophrenia while the fear gas activates the victim's "fight or flight" mechanisms but, since the pheromones negate the victim's ability to reason, "fight" is the natural response. Essentially, the toxin brings out the most human tendency; violence.

Sometimes, I simply must marvel at my own brilliance. Though, lately, this kind of thing doesn't appeal to me as it once did.

Ah… Toxin dispersal is complete. Those simple-minded Neanderthals have merely seconds before the toxin takes hold. Due to Croc's mutated physiology, I predict that he will be affected first. Hopefully, he doesn't kill too many of the men before they are affected as well. Those under the influence of the toxin won't attack each other due to the most basic instinct of all life forms; the desire for community, companionship, and likeness.

Good. I can see that the toxin is taking hold in Croc. There is no reason for me to dawdle. There is no chance at all that the toxin will malfunction. My supervision is not required. Off to the bank, I suppose. I've got a meeting with the Black Mask.

I board the helicopter waiting for me on the Casino roof. Once again, I admire the beauty of this city. I don't quite understand why, but Gotham has some sort of appeal. Why else would this godforsaken cesspit still be inhabited through plagues, earthquakes, fires, genocide… The list goes on and on. But no matter the threat, this city survives. It's the Batman. A symbol of hope. He gives- He gave the city hope that there will come a better time. It will be interesting to watch the city unravel as news of his demise spreads throughout.

The peaceful ride over my city comes to an end, as everything inevitably does. I step out of the helicopter onto the roof of the Gotham Merchants Bank in the Bowery District. I'm greeted by 10 of Warren's men. They escort me from the roof, through the manager's office, and through the loft offices, down to the lobby, where Warren is waiting for me.

"Good to see ya, boss," Warren says. "Sionis is outside with one hell of a cavalry. How will we stop them all?"

I laugh. "Well, I have a plan, of course. I called an old associate of mine. He's perched on a nearby rooftop with Sionis' goons right in his crosshairs.

Warren smiled, revealing his jagged, sharpened teeth. "Lawton, isn't it?"

"Dear friend, it certainly is."

I hear the gunshots outside. Warren's men take their positions by the door and throughout the lobby. Guns clack as they are armed.

Sionis shouts outside the bank. "Get down, boys!"

27 shots so far. I counted 47 men when I arrived. Lawton never misses. Only 19 and Sionis remain.

Black Mask screams again. "Whatever they're paying you, Lawton, I'll double it! Triple it!"

9 more shots rang out. Sionis is getting desperate. I can tell.

Lawton stops shooting, just as we planned. Sionis thinks he's safe. "Get in the bank, boys. Run for it! It's our only shot!"

The door opens. 11 men enter. Deadshot will pack up his gear and meet me at the Casino tomorrow morning, as we discussed.

Warren and his men point their weapons at the unlucky criminals that barged through the door.

"Drop the heat, boys. Or I'll drop you," Warren orders.

Sionis and his men drop their weapons.

I speak. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Mr. Sionis. It has been far too long since last we spoke."

The crime lord stands before me and speaks. "Listen, Riddler. I know what you've been up to, you've taken down the Penguin and you've already got control over Falcone's arms trade. Word on the street is you're going after Dent and Maroni after me. There ain't much goes on in this town without slipping through my ears first. I could help you."

"Oh, Sionis. You've always been such a businessman. But we all know that that's not who you really are. You only hide your fear behind this charade of confidence and grandeur. It's a mask, so to speak. Everyone wears masks. No one shows who they truly are. But you will now. Do you know why I've let these 10 goons live? I want to make an example out of you. I want them to watch as I, the Riddler, make Gotham's so-called criminal kingpin scream for mercy and after I've drained every last bit of willpower from your pathetic husk of a body, I'll do the same to Two-Face, Maroni, and anyone else who'll stand in my way. I am Gotham's new overseer and I will control my beautiful kingdom with pride. Then, everyone will know how I, using only my mind, toppled this city's criminal empire, destroyed its police force, and devastated its government. I, Edward Nygma, the Riddler will control everything. And those who attempt to stop me, will suffer the same fate as you are about to."

I rip the mask from Sionis' face, revealing a terrified look. I turned to his men, who've been tied to chairs as I've spoken, ready to witness my ascension to glory. I remove the shimmering blade from my cane and force it deep into Sionis' shoulder. His white suit slowly turns red. I draw a handgun and shoot off his kneecaps. He falls to the ground screaming like an infant. Then, I pull my blade from his shoulder and thrust it into the other. Blood splashes onto my face as I push the blade deeper and deeper into his body. My own henchmen are just as frightened and appalled as Sionis'. My suit, stained with blood as much as my victim's is, clings to my skin, wet and red. I pull the blade from him and drop it on to the floor. Still screaming in agony, Sionis curls himself on the floor, writhing in pain.

"Tie him up. Let him bleed," I tell my men. "Leave him for the city to see."

I exit the room, leaving my cane and blade for the police or perhaps even some of the Bat-brats. Warren follows me up from the lobby, through the loft offices and manager's office, and up to the roof where I climb into the helicopter. Warren congratulates me on my victory over the Black Mask. Hardly a victory, in my opinion. I leave him to deal with everything else. He finds Sionis' computer, transfers the Black Mask's funds into my account, and informs the criminal network of Gotham of the new 'change in management' in the drug trade. I gaze out upon the city that looked so beautiful only an hour before. But, as hard as I tried, I couldn't admire it. The thing about Gotham is that it only looks nice from a distance. Once you're on the ground, you can see how the city corrupts its inhabitants. Turns brilliance into brutality, turns men into monsters, and monsters into mice.

I arrive at the Casino and stroll to my room. I take off the clothes that I once held so highly, now stained with blood and regret. After all, the clothes make the man and I wouldn't want to appear as a savage. I call Diedre. I don't know why. I needed someone. I've never felt such emptiness before. She arrives shortly after I called and comes into my bedroom. I'm lying on the bed, my old suit in the corner. I've never felt the need for this before. Such things are for monsters like Dent, Maroni, Sionis. Not a man of brilliance such as I. Regardless of the consequences I proceeded. She lay next to me and so it began. But the emptiness was not made full, the void was not closed, the hunger was not satisfied. Is this how it feels to be at the top of the world? I've climbed for so long, but now that I'm here, what else can I do? Where else can I go?

Nothing. Nowhere.


	8. Heroes Fall

I wake up feeling no better than I had felt the night before. Diedre lay next to me, still asleep. What have you become, Edward? You're turning into your father…

It's the city. But I can't leave. Not now. The next part of my plan will soon begin.

I dress myself in the new green suit that the hotel staff laid out for me. I pull up my trousers, button up the shirt, pull on the jacket, slide into my shoes, and slip the bowler hat over my head. Ready to meet the world's deadliest assassin…

I take my seat in Cobblepot's office. I wait in the leather swivel chair for my associate's arrival. The phone on the desk blares.

"Mr. Nygma?"

"Yes, Trudy?"

"There's a Mr. Joseph Whitworth here to see you. He says you're expecting him."

Momentarily, I was confused. It only took me a few seconds to decipher the codename. "Ah, yes, Trudy. Send him up."

Moments later, he arrives at the door. His brown trench coat hangs down to his knees. His cybernetic eye glows red beneath his leather eyepatch. Deadshot.

"Greetings, Mr. Lawton! It's a pleasure," I say, still seated comfortably.

"Yeah, yeah, Nygma. The drop. Where is it? I've got places to be."

"Always in such a hurry. We can't ever have a conversation anymore."

"Where's the fuckin' money, Ed!?"

"Hm. Wouldn't you like to know…"

A hear a faint, silenced gunshot. The so-called master assassin falls to the ground as blood spills from the back of his head.

"Well done, Warren," I say as my partner reveals himself from his hiding spot down the hall. "And may I say, that was an impressive shot."

"Thanks, boss," he said with a toothy grin. "I'll send some men to put him with the others downstairs."

I thanked Warren as he left. I've killed so many. Is this now how I overcome obstacles? Violence?

Never mind. I must focus. I have much to do if I'm going to kill the mayor tonight.

As I plot some men come to drag the corpse of a former friend down to the basement.

Obtaining the city's municipal codes was the easy part. I'd already done so having foreseen the need for them. Better to be prepared, I suppose. With these codes, I can access nearly every security mechanism in any of the city's government buildings. The Police Headquarters, City Hall, even a community recreation center. I can get through them all. Taking City Hall will be easy. I already have all the security clearance I need and once I get some men into the security control room, I'll be able to manually upload my virus into their database, giving me full control of the building's security countermeasures. I'll get a feed from every motion detector, camera, turret. Nearly anything I can dream of. With the building under my control, I can initiate lockdown, closing blast doors over every opening, sealing the police out of the building. That is, if they have finished dealing with Croc's riots.

That reminds me. I never checked in on Falcone's men to see what mayhem they caused. I must pull up the feeds from the warehouse and- Damn!

Dead. All of them. But how? Rewind the footage…

Ah… Not dead. Unconscious. Hm. It would seem the bat-brats have emerged from their little cave. Nightwing and Robin. This will cause me some grief but will ultimately delay the inevitable. The first rule of defeating a so-called superhero; exploit the weakness. Every hero has one.

Every hero falls.

I pick up the phone sitting on the smooth desk. The plastic case of the office phone cools my face as I push it to my ear to speak.

"Warren?"

"Yeah, boss. What can I do for ya?"

"Send up 5 of your best men."

"Yes, sir. Right away."

"Thank you, Warren."

"No problem. Oh! And, boss?"

"What?"

"Another weapons shipment just arrived. It's that special package you ordered from H.I.V.E."

"Oh, good. Put that in my room by the monitors."

"No problem, boss. And by the way, the last of Sionis' men have joined us. They got the, uh, 'message' we left on the top of the bank. They said by the time the morning came, the crows ate him up. Nothin' but bone on poor old Sionis."

I place the phone back onto the platform, hanging up. Warren White. The Great White Shark. He was at the top of the food chain once. Many years ago. He's been at the bottom ever since. Now he's climbing up the ladder, so to speak. I can trust him. There aren't many people I can say that about in this city.

Before long the 5 men arrived. I recognized them immediately. Their shining masks as black as the night sky, the black combat armor provides protection without sacrificing mobility, and no weapons at all; they don't need them. Black Mask's infiltrators. Their job was to break into various companies' headquarters and download all the information that Sionis needed for a hostile takeover of the company. They will serve me perfectly. The thing about henchmen, they only want one thing. There's only one thing they understand. Money. And currently, I'm one of the only men in the city who has it. Their loyalty is assured. I explain the plan to them.

"Welcome to my empire, good men. I have faith in your ability to follow orders so I won't threaten or belittle you. I, as you already know, am the Riddler, the future kingpin of Gotham. And you are going to help me get there. Tonight, you'll be infiltrating what could possibly be the most heavily guarded facility in Gotham; City Hall. I need you to get to the security control room and upload the virus contained in the flash drive you'll receive momentarily. Once that is complete, I'll have full control over the building and will open up the Mayor's office and panic room for you. Kill anyone you wish but I need Mayor Hady alive, understand?"

One of the infiltrators stepped forward. He is obviously the leader. I give him the flash drive and the keys to one of Penguin's getaway cars.

"No problem, Riddler. We'll bring Hady back here without a scratch on him."

"Very good. Go and earn your supper, men! There'll be $10,000 for each of you upon successful completion of your task and much more to follow should you continue working with me."

The men left the room. "I'd better pick up the package," I thought.

I walk to my suite and over to the monitors that I've approached so many times in the past few days. A shining lead case sits on the floor next to my chair. I kneel down to reach the retinal scanner on the lock. After a few seconds of analyzing, the box clicked and opened slowly, revealing a massive shard of rock, green and glowing with radiation. This will serve me well…


	9. Sending a Message

"Alpha? Can you hear me?" I speak into the small communicator sitting on my desk beside the keyboard. The infiltrator responds.

"Copy."

"Beta?"

"Copy."

"Delta?"

"Copy."

"Gamma?"

"Copy."

"Helos?"

"Copy."

"Good! Let the infiltration begin!"

I cut the camera feeds to the building's security room and upload a loop of empty footage to the security room's monitors, showing empty hallways and quiet corridors. It's only 2 am. There's plenty of time to take over a government facility before breakfast.

I can see the real camera feeds, while the lackeys in the control room stare mindlessly at the loop. The infiltrators have dropped through the air duct over the west wing. They are on their way to the control room. Good.

"Gamma, Helos, sweep the building. The other three will continue to the control room."

"Copy that."

Two men veer off down a hallway to the left. The remaining three continue down the center passage.

Before long I hear quiet scuffles in the security control room from the communicators. My infiltrators have taken out the security force in the control room.

"Plug it in, Alpha. Quickly," I say into the communicator.

"It's in, Command."

Suddenly, my monitors are filled with the feeds from motion detectors, automatic turrets, silent alarms, and shield door controls. I have complete control over the building.

Incoming transmission from Gamma.

"Command, all hostiles neutralized. Gamma and Helos proceeding to target."

"Very good, Gamma. Don't engage until Alpha and Beta are in position. Delta is en route to the entrance to keep watch."

"Copy."

Everything is proceeding excellently. They are all in position outside the two entrances to the Mayor's office. They did it without raising a single alarm. In and out like the breeze. I'll keep these men around.

I issue the command. "Breach and capture, men."

"Copy that, sir."

I look at the monitors. They're moving in. They broke down the doors and ran in. excellent. I continue to track the camera feeds. The Mayor panics and throws himself against the window. He draws a handgun and shoots at my men. Did he expect to hit them? They roll, leap, and flip toward him, dodging every shot. Mayor Hady drops his gun in surrender. Well done, boys…

I remotely open the panic room door underneath the carpet in the center of the office. My men throw the Mayor inside and I shut it, trapping that poor fool in the dark.

It's time for me to go.

I take my communicator and slip it around my ear. Some of Warren's men, now including the remnants of Sionis' gang, come into my office and gently dismantle my computer station.

"Quickly, men. We've got to get the City Hall in less than an hour. No doubt, Gordon has already arrived."

I climb into the truck outside the lobby, casually strolling through the crowds of gamblers and socialites. Warren sits beside me in the driver's seat. The car rolls forward.

Within the next half hour, we arrive at City Hall. The brave officers of the GCPD aim their handguns at me, as I exit the truck. Gordon is much smarter than they are.

"Lower your weapons," he orders. "He's got Mayor Hady hostage in there!"

I laugh. "Clever man, Gordon." With a nod of my head and a tip of my hat, I waltz through the policemen and safely into City Hall. My new home.

That was much easier than I predicted.

My men shortly follow, carrying my computer system through Gordon's barricades and up to Hady's office.

It only takes 10 minutes to get my computer system up and running again. With the municipal codes and access to the city's defense infrastructure, I'm virtually unstoppable. Now, to seal my kingdom… After all, every castle needs a moat.

Using the Mayor's all-access decryption technology, I can remotely access the terminals of the Director of Homeland Security for the state. This is wonderful.

With access to the Director's systems, I raise the 5 bridges connecting Gotham to the rest of the state, completely isolating the city. I turn to Warren with a smile on my face. "Director Dickson won't mind if I raise the bridges, will he? I have my city's best interests at heart."

"Only you could pull this off, boss."

"Oh, Warren... Flattery will get you nowhere my friend, I aim for results. Have your men brought over the weapons yet? The police are just going to keep coming and coming."

"They are almost here, boss. But, I've gotta ask… Why City Hall? You could've got the intel you needed without moving your whole base of operations to the middle of town. There are gonna be cops up our asses all day and night if we're in here. They left us alone before, they didn't have nothing to link us to the crimes. Why raise the alarm on yourself"

"Oh, Warren. I thought you'd understand. It's not for me. It's for them. It's about sending a message. A display of power, if you will. Now, the citizens of Gotham are forced to recognized what they've always feared. This city doesn't belong to them anymore. It's ours. It's mine.

The monitor beeps indicating 2 more people joining the police outside. I could tell who they were before I even activated the camera…

"Warren," I say with a grin. "It would seem as if Nightwing and Robin are here. Ensure that they have no way in. I've already sealed as many doors and windows as I can but sweep the building for additional entry points."

"You got it, boss."

Warren exits. I glance back at the monitors now fixed on the two heroes and can't help but admire their dedication to the Batman's cause. Their unfaltering devotion is almost inspiring. Two young men on a tireless crusade simply because he asked them to. Batman deserves respect and they give him just that. If only...

Focus, Nygma!

You have work to do. Now that you're kingdom has been established, you must address your subjects.


	10. Motivation

The cameras outside City Hall flicker and whirr as I activate them. The cameras slowly turn to face Commissioner Gordon and the two heroes. Now I must turn on the audio receptors hidden in the shrubbery around the main door.

Nightwing spoke. "We've been tracking Nygma's activites for a few days now, Comissioner, but his network encryption is too advanced for anything I can handle. We weren't able to retrieve any useful data."

"Son," the Commissioner sighed. "There're more important things we've gotta discuss. He's...," Gordon faltered and choked on his own words. "He's dead isn't he?" I could see the pain in the Commissioner's face. He already knew the answer.

Nightwing looked away. Robin did the same.

"Nightwing, I'm going to look for a way in on the roof," Robin said, fighting back tears.

Robin pulled a grapnel gun from his belt, shot it toward the roof of the building, and launched himself upward with a pull on the line.

Nightwing turned again to Gordon, his pain more real than anything I'd ever seen, and he said, "Commissioner, I don't think he can do this much longer. The poor kid is falling apart. Just contact me privately if you need anything."

"You got it, son," Gordon said with a nod. He pulled a box of cigars out of his back pocket and wedged one in his mouth, lighting it almost habitually.

What have I done?

You've won, Nygma. You beat him. Be proud.

No. I destroyed my greatest enemy, but lost something far greater.

A competitor. A challenge.

A friend.

I've made a mistake. No, not a mistake. An opportunity…

Focus, Nygma. You've got a phone call to make…

I reach for the Mayor's phone and dial a number known by only a select few.

The phone is answered and a man speaks to me…

"Who are you? How'd you get this number?"

"The name's Nygma. Edward Nygma. I'd like to propose a deal, Mr. Luthor."

"I'm listening."

"I need 3 earthquake generators."

"Ha! And why would I supply a lunatic like you with weapons of mass destruction?"

"Because I've got a little something that you want. It must be hard to come by since Ultraman seemingly consumed it all a few years back."

"Intriguing. How did you manage to get your hands on Kryptonite, Nygma?"

"Wouldn't you like to know…"

"Fine. Where should I drop them."

"I'll send you a map."

"It's been a pleasure, Mr. Nygma."

"Of course."

I hang up. He's desperate. Poor, poor man.

The next day goes by in a blur. I didn't sleep I had to wait for my deliveries. As soon as the earthquake generators are in position, I can address the public.

Hour after hour I wait. Warren has already finished moving everyone in and went to sleep hours ago.

Hm. A message on my private line.

The message reads, "Our business is concluded. -L"

Let the addressing begin…

I open the panic room again to reveal the Mayor squirming with fear.

"You're needed, Mr. Mayor," I say with a grin.

Gordon barks order after order to the officers still waiting outside the building.

As I open the balcony doors he falls silent and his men do the same. I step out onto the balcony and speak.

"Greetings to you, fine officers of the Gotham City Police Department! I am the Riddler and this," I laugh. "This is Mayor Hady."

The police raise their weapons, waiting for me to give them reason to shoot.

"Tell us, Mayor," I continue. "Do you consider yourself to be capable of defending this city?"

The news teams have finally shown up. 6 news vans pull up behind the police barricade. Perfect.

The Mayor nervously began to speak.

"Yes, yes I do."

"Well, would you still feel that way if I told you that there are 3 Q-Core earthquake generators hidden throughout the city?

The Mayor gasped in surprise.

"You madman! Those completely destroyed half of Starling!"

"Why yes they did, Mr. Hady and Gotham will suffer the same fate if any of the so-called superheroes attempt to disrupt my work. So citizens, I urge you to continue your everyday lives! School tomorrow! Pay your taxes! Go to work! Gotham City is under new management and I will usher in a new era for Gotham."

Gordon yells, "Don't do this, Edward! You can still surrender."

"Oh, Gordon," I laugh. "Why surrender when I'm in the lead?"

I pull the Mayor behind me back into the building and seal him in his panic room once more.

The sun rises over the city skyline. He would be dropping off some lunatic at Arkham by now, already having stopped a crime spree.

Not only is he my intellectual match, but my, and everyone else's, physical superior as well.

Though I would never under normal circumstances admit defeat, I will for him.

Our rivalry was anything but "normal".

Without him I feel almost obsolete.

What would The Joker be without him?

A deadbeat comedian.

What about Hush? Bane? Fries?

He motivates us all.

It's hard to continue on without motivation.


	11. No Challenge, No Victory

_Hey, guys! I made a lot of changes to Chapter 10. If you haven't gotten see the new version yet, please read it!_

_Thanks so much for the support. I could always use more ideas! How are you all liking it?_

* * *

The days come and go and so does Warren. Arms deals, drug running, loan sharking, gambling… He has a vast criminal empire to manage.

This isn't what I wanted. I care little for petty gang affairs. I am a man of the mind. My weapon is my wit. I've never been one for criminal empires. That's always been Cobblepot's sort of thing.

2 days since my earthquake machines have arrived. For 2 days, Gotham's citizens have lived in fear of me. They're right to fear me. But they didn't fear 'Him'. Only we did. The criminals. Cowardly and superstitious…

My contemplation is interrupted by a low, growly voice from the doorway.

"Hey, boss? The trucks are all set for the attack."

"Very well. We'll leave in an hour."

"But, boss, it's the middle of the day!"

"Who's going to stop us, Warren?"

A pause.

"Alright, boss. We'll be waitin'."

He exits. I let out a sigh of aggravation as I select the cameras in the Batcave to appear on my monitors.

Nightwing and Robin sit at their- His -computer. It's difficult to see what they're doing, but they seem to be attempting to shut down the municipal server to lock me out of the mainframe. They won't do it. I've got over 150 network relay systems around the city. My server feed jumps to a randomized relay every 15 seconds. They'd never even find my server, much less shut it down.

An hour flew by as I sat watching the two heroes tirelessly work. The little one was training, or maybe just hitting a training post as a means of venting anger. Nightwing still sat in front of the massive computer, attempting to decipher my relay station locations.

I should go…

I kick the panic room door as I leave the office.

"We'll return shortly, Mr. Mayor," I laugh.

I descend the stairwell and exit through the back door of the building.

"Interesting," I thought to myself. "Gordon finally ended his little camping trip. Not a single cop in sight."

I board the truck and take my seat next to Warren in the back compartment.

He turns to me and says, "I had this made for you, boss."

He reached into a box behind him and pulled out a shimmering cane, dotted with emeralds, with a green question mark for a handle.

"It's got a blade too, Mr. Nygma."

"Thank you, Warren. You're a good man."

We arrive at the old, abandoned Solomon Wayne courthouse. Anyone who knows anything knows that Dent makes his home inside. The thing is… No one has the courage to try and take him down.

I approach the building, at least 30 armed men standing behind me, and Warren, his revolver loaded, at my side. The door opens, to my surprise, revealing Harvey Dent himself. Two-Face.

"Follow me, Riddler," he said. "Your men stay here."

"Poor man," I thought. "He already knows he's going to lose. Didn't even bother assembling his men."

I follow Dent through a long corridor, my cane clacking and echoing throughout the building with every step. Before long, I find myself alone with him in a large sitting room. He takes his seat on an old chair, half of it withering and burnt. I take a seat on the couch across from him.

"Eddie, please. You don't have to do this. We'll split the city and my monthly take 50/50. What do you say?"

"I'm sorry, Harvey. But I came to speak with him, not you."

Harvey frowned with the part of his mouth that still had lips. His voice lowered and became more rigid and gravely.

"Alright, Nygma," Two-Face said. "I know why you're here. Cobblepot, Maroni, Carmine, and hell! Even the Hatter! But you ain't taking me out too. I've got enough firepower here to kill all your men twice and then come back and kill you."

"But you won't kill me, or my men," I say with a smug grin across my face.

"The coin will decide."

"I've got earthquake generators hidden around the city. If you make one move I don't like, I'll destroy half of it."

"Fine. One half in order; the other in chaos. I don't mind."

"But which half will you control?"

"I…," Two-Face stuttered, unsure of himself.

"Will the coin decide, Two-Face?"

"Yes! The coin!"

He reaches into his suit, his left hand, burnt and disfigured, snaking into the right side of his jacket to fish out his coin.

"Tell me…," I begin. "Why do you keep the coin in your right pocket? Doesn't the coin make the decisions?"

"Yes, but-"

"Hm. It's strange that you'd keep such a powerful object on only one side, don't you think? One side having all the power isn't very fair, is it?"

Harvey's eye shot open almost as wide as the naked eye of his sinister counterpart, Two-Face, revealed fully since his eyelids were burnt off.

The poor man, or men, didn't know what to do. He just kept looking at me, his mouth hanging open in befuddlement, then at the coin, then at me again.

"Oh, Two-Face…" I say. "For all these years you've been living a lie. Harvey has had all the power. You've had nothing but a little handgun on your side of the jacket."

Two-Face's scarred mouth curdled in frustration and fury.

He exploded with rage.

"You said it was fair, Dent!"

"It is fair! I thought it was!" Harvey retaliated.

Two-Face screamed. "You betrayed me!"

The man collapsed and fell to the floor, beating the hardwood paneling with rage.

As Harvey dealt with his inner demons, I left the room, gleaming with the glow of triumph, though I only consider myself triumphant when I've overcome great odds.

Solving the puzzle at school in under a minute.

Winning the High School spelling math tournament at the age of ten.

Outsmarting the Batman.

None of this is a challenge. None of this is a victory.

Never mind that, Nygma. You've got to return to your men.

I walked through the same corridor that Harvey had lead me down no too long ago.

I still hear the man arguing with himself.

Then, I hear a single gunshot. Then, I hear nothing.

As I returned to the courtyard outside the main door, I was pleased see Warren, the trucks now overflowing with new recruits, ready to return to City Hall.

This time, Warren drove and I sat beside him in the passenger seat.

"Most of Harvey's guys joined up with us, boss."

"That's good, Warren. But, I don't want to speak now."

"No problem, Ed."

I push a circular button beneath the air conditioning vents on the center console of the truck, turning on the radio.

"This is Vicki Vale reporting live with some of the citizens of Gotham to hear what they have to say about the Riddler's new proclamation. The identities of these citizens will be kept a secret for their safety."

"Well, I think that he's bluffing. If there were any of these earthquake things, don't you think the Batman would've found them by now?"

"I am ashamed of the lack of security in this shithole of a city! Some lunatic who's been in and out of that Arkham place a dozen times just walks into City Hall?! What the hell is wrong with this place?"

"I think he's done more good than the Bat ever has. So what, he killed a few lunatics? How many people did he save by doing that? How many more little girls would the Mad Hatter have raped by now? How many more drugs would be flowing through the city if Sionis was still alive? The Riddler is a saint, in my book."

In less than an hour, the trucks pull into the parking lot behind City Hall. About 20 of Warren's men stay for perimeter patrol and the others come inside for some rest while Warren takes the new recruits to the security room for weapons.

I walk into my office, cane in hand. I take my seat in front of the monitors. The Batcave is empty. I suppose the Bat-brats are out looking for the earthquake generators. They won't find them.

Regardless of heroic activity, I have one last stop to make before the day ends.

I, without telling Warren, climb into a sleek, black Lamborghini. It must be Mayor Hady's. I use the keys I found in the Mayor's desk to start it and within an hour, I arrive at my destination.

Usually, I'm in the backseat of a police car or even the Batmobile when I drive up this long and winding road. The gates open slowly, creaking to life as the Mayor's security clearance chip on the dashboard of his car activates the automatic opening mechanisms on the facility's tall gate.

I pull up to the entrance, grab my cane from the passenger seat, and exit the car. I open the large, wooden doors and enter.

A familiar face catches my eye and jumps backward in surprise.

I smile. "Hello, Dr. Arkham. I'm back."


	12. Enlightenment

"I hope you've returned to my asylum seeking help and guidance, Edward," Dr. Arkham said, masking his fright with a calm, monotone voice. The guard in the check-in booth to my right had already activated a silent alarm. No doubt, guards are already on their way.

"As a matter of fact, Dr. Arkham," I said. "I've come for exactly that."

I smiled. "Guidance."

The guards had finally arrived. There were at least a dozen of them.

A man I know well stood in front of the other guards, next to Dr. Arkham.

"Get yo' hands behind your head, freak!"

"It's nice to see you too, Aaron," I smirked.

"That's Officer Cash to you, jackass," he said, grabbing me by my jacket and pulling me toward him.

"Cash!" Dr. Arkham shouted with disgust. "This man is our guest. He is seeking refuge from the harshness of the world. He deserves peace."

"Silence. Both of you," I order, pulling myself out of the raging security officer's grasp.

"You will allow me safe and undisturbed passage through the asylum or I will open every cell in this facility with the push of a button."

"You're bluffing," Dr. Arkham hissed.

"Am I? I got through the main gate without raising the alarm. Besides, I already killed Sionis. Need another mask fall?"

Dr. Arkham swallowed nervously, hoping none of the guards would catch on. "How did-"

"I know everything, Doctor," I said. "Everything. Now step aside."

The fearful and nervous psychologist did so and ordered his guards to do the same.

"You have one hour, Edward. And if you try anything, I'll-"

"Of course, of course. You won't even realize I'm here, Arkham."

I walked through the lobby and into the elevator. I pressed the button labeled "B4".

The elevator descended through the shaft down to the Intensive Treatment facility.

The guards outside of the elevator must have already gotten the memo. They let me through to the cell block without a fuss.

I passed cell after cell of Gotham's most notorious criminals. Zsasz, Mathis, Fries, Langstrom, Lyons. Until I finally reach Cell number 66. The most heavily secured cell in the facility. The name on the door… The Joker.

I peer through the window on the cell's door and see nothing but black. Then suddenly, a man jumps at the window and holds his face, or what's left of it, to the glass as he shouts.

"Surprise, Dr. Ar- Eddie? Is that you?"

"Who else would it be?"

"Hm. True. You seem to have killed everyone else! Haha!"

"Listen, Joker. I need to know..."

"I know what you're asking," he said with a smile quite literally from ear to ear. "You want to know why I've never killed the Batman…"

I nod, much to his delight.

He laughs and opens his cell door, letting in some light from the hallway.

One of the guards at the other end of the hall gasped in surprise only to be silenced by the other guard.

I shouldn't have been surprised. I'd be a fool to think that he couldn't leave whenever he wanted to.

The Joker was dressed in an orange jumpsuit with his scraggly, green hair tussled messily, resting on top of the brown strap holding his face to the pale, pink muscle beneath it.

He gestures toward the cot in the corner. It looks as if it's never been slept in. I take a seat as he flips a light switch in the hallway, turning on the fluorescent lights locked tightly in the glass ceiling. The Joker then closes the cell door and sits on the floor of the cell in front of the cot.

"It's like a cat playing with a little mouse," he began. "Clawing at it, scraping its dirty flesh. But once the mouse dies, what does the cat do? Nothing! The poor thing's bored to death! Haha!"

"I think I understand," I said.

"Understand what?" The Joker looked confused. "I was just telling you about last night's dream! Dreams can be enlightening, Ed."

I stood. But the Joker shot a narrow glare at me, so I sat back down.

"You've made a grave mistake, you know… Killing Him. You'll get what's coming to you."

"I've made contingencies for that sort of thing. No one will lay a finger on me."

"Ha! Oh, Eddie… So smart, but so dumb!"

"What do you mean, Joker?"

"Well, it's like beating a baby to death with another baby. In the end, you may have killed the first, just like you wanted, but you've killed yours as well! Now all you have are two dead babies and a puddle of blood! Haha!"

…

The drive back to City Hall was long and lonely. I sat in the car, pondering the Joker's words. Eventually, I reached parking lot. I exited the Mayor's vehicle and walked into the building. I ascended the stairwell and went into the Mayor's office. I didn't check on Warren. I didn't check on the monitors. I fell onto the leather sofa and closed my eyes, a miserable, sleepless night ahead of me.

…

I awaken. I am in my cell at Arkham Asylum. It's Him, He's right outside.

I jump back in fright and surprise. "Batman! How did you survive?"

"Silence, Nygma. You're not staying here anymore. Arkham is too good for slime like you. You deserve to suffer."

"No, please!"

A flash of light blinds me. I stumble back onto a bed.

I am in my father's house. Puzzles and books cover the floor of my bedroom. I hear heavy footsteps approach my door. My father is coming in.

"Edward, you good for nothing shit! What the fuck were you doing today?!"

"Please, don't be mad, Daddy."

My door slams open, the doorknob digging into the wall behind it.

"Shut up, jack ass! I said, what the fuck were you doing today?"

"I had a math meet at school, Dad. I had to stay late."

"When will you grow up, Edward?! That math shit is for losers! I didn't raise a fuckin' loser!"

"I'm not a loser, Dad! At least I'm making something of my life, unlike you!"

"Oh, come here, shit-face. You're gonna suffer for that!"

"No!"

Another flash of light and I fall through the floor of my bedroom.

I land with a thud on the floor in front of Cobblepot's desk.

"Well, well, well," the Penguin squawked. "What have we here?"

"Oswald," I begin. "I didn't want to kill you, but when you told Harvey about my plans, I had-"

"Piss off, Nygma!"

I fall silent as two men grab me by either arm and pull me from the ground.

Penguin walks toward me, a cigar in his mouth, an umbrella in his hand, and says to his men, "Why don't we teach Mr. Nygma here a lesson, eh boys? He's got a lot to learn about loyalty."

"No, please! Don't do this!"

The two men on either side of me pull my arms, straining my body in a painful manner.

"I'll ship you out to Harvey in two! He'd like that, won't he, men?"

The Penguin laughed as he left me in the office with the two brutish thugs.

"Make him suffer, boys!"

After another flash of light, I find myself in a dark room. A basement?

Beside me sits a young boy, weeping in fright.

All around us are statues of monsters bloodstained weapons, and stuffed animals.

The boy looks up at me and asks, "Are you here to save me?"

"From what?"

"Him," the boy said, looking toward the ceiling. "He said this is for his experiments but I don't want to help anymore. It's too scary."

I smile at the boy. "You know, a good friend of mine once told me that fear is the gateway to enlightenment. Only by experiencing fear, can you learn to overcome it."

The boy smiled back, his round glasses glinting in the dim glow of the torchlight.

"Thanks, Mister. I think-"

The boy fell silent at the sound of an opening lock. The trapdoor above us opened and a tall man wearing a dirty lab coat dropped a rope down the opening through the hatch.

"Good work today, Johnathan. You're learning to suffer fear without giving in to despair."

With that, the man left. Johnathan climbed the rope and shut the trapdoor, leaving me in total darkness.

Suddenly, the torch reignited, revealing the statues. But they were no longer dead animals, nor were they bleeding monsters. They were my companions. My associates. My victims.

The Penguin hung by his neck from a rope attached to the ceiling. Harvey lay on the ground, his forehead gushing blood. Scarecrow and the Hatter lay in a pool of red. Then, I saw Him.

The Batman, strung up like a sacrifice. His arms tied to tall wooden posts, his legs dangling below him, and his eyes staring into mine.

I heard sound. I felt fear. It started quiet, and got louder by the second.

The bodies slowly turned to look at me. Their mouths uttered the word.

"…_suffer_…_suffer_…Suffer…Suffer...**SUFFER**…**SUFFER!**"

NO!

I shot up from the leather couch, sweat streaming from my forehead.

Only a dream, Edward.

Only a dream.


	13. Home

I can't sleep now. Not after that. I haven't been so afraid since… Him.

No one can instill fear like He can.

But, as is custom with regard to heroes such as He, I must tell the tale of the last adventure. His final crusade.

And so man becomes legend.

I'll use Ryder's news report. Perfect. It will air in 5 hours. I'll have time to prepare. There are a few loose ends to tie up, and then I must deal with those who will question the decision that I've made and have yet to announce.

I sit in the lobby of the building as Warren comes from his private office to greet me.

"Morning, boss. The Maroni bust went well. We've got all his documents. The old man won't be giving anybody no trouble anymore."

"Listen to me, Warren," I say, looking around to ensure that we are alone. "You need to leave. Don't question me. You've been a loyal friend and a wonderful accomplice and there's no need for you to be harmed by my mistakes. There wi-"

"I ain't leaving you, Ed. No way, no how."

"Just do as I say, damn it! The bridges will be lowered at 8:35. That's two hours. The car in parking space B-17 has some weapons and a few million in the trunk. In the glove compartment, there is the phone number of a man in Central City who owes me a favor. He'll set you up with a nice position in the local drug cartel. Don't ever return to Gotham. Promise me that."

"Alright, boss. Thank you. And for whatever you're planning on doin', good luck."

"Take care, Warren."

"You too, Ed."

And with a sharp nod, Warren left the building. It pains me to see him go, but he doesn't deserve to be locked up like the rest of us will be.

My men, at least 80, were all assembled in the lobby for a meeting. I stood on a balcony high above them to speak. I made sure the doors and windows were locked, so they couldn't escape.

"Listen, men. I would like to thank each and every one of you for such exceptional work and servitude since we first started our campaign last month. It pains me to do this, it really does. But, I can't have mindless brutes such as you wondering the city, especially without a leader. You are simply too dangerous and too stupid to be left unattended. I, once again, apologize but this is necessary to ensure Gotham's wellbeing. I reach both hands into either side of my suit jacket and pull all 6 capsules of tear gas from the bottom of the pockets. I drop all of the pellets off the balcony and onto the confused brutes below. Within seconds, they all collapse, sink to the floor, and fall silent.

I return to the office quickly and seal the balcony door, trapping the tear gas outside. It's almost time to begin my broadcast…

I turn one of the monitors of my computer station to channel 8 and watch as Jack Ryder begins his report.

"Good morning, Gotham. This is Jack Ryder reporting live from the GCN newsroom! It's 8:30 on this fine Tuesday morning, 4 days since the Riddler made his chilling proclamation concerning the earthquake generators allegedly hidden around the city. The US military is refusing to set foot on or fly over Gotham City for fear that these earthquake machines are active. The Commissioner is still refusing to comment on these events but ensures the public that the GCPD is doing everything in its power to bring the Riddler to justice. The Mayor has not been seen or heard from in over 5 days, leading us at GCN to believe that the Riddler is holding him hostage inside City Hall. Now we'll take to live to Vicki Vale outside Wayne Manor hoping to get some of her questions answered. It's all you, Vicki."

"Thanks, Jack. Viewers, I'm standing here outside of Wayne Manor hoping to gain knowledge as to the Dark Knight's whereabouts. His two associates, Nightwing and Robin, have been seen patrolling the streets, presumably searching for the earthquake generators but our beloved Caped Crusader is yet to be heard from since he rescued Jack Ryder and a few other citizens from the North Burnley sewer system several weeks ago. I'm knocking on the door now and it would seem that Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred Pennyworth, is on his way."

"May I help you, Miss Vale?"

"Hello, Mr. Pennyworth. I was hoping to speak with Bruce Wayne, if I may."

"Master Wayne isn't available at the moment. He left town several weeks prior to the Riddler's escape from Arkham. I'm afraid he won't be able to return until the Riddler's schemes have been put to an end. Good day, Miss Vale."

The door closes. I could see the pain in the old man's eyes. He did well covering it up, though. He is strong. They're all strong. I only hope that my announcement will make up for the mistake I've made.

"Well, folks, it seems as if Bruce Wayne, the well-known benefactor of Batman: Incorporated is nowhere to be found. Though we were all hoping that Mr. Wayne could shed some light on the whereabouts of the Dark Knight, we will just have to keep pondering that question on everybody's mind; where is the Batman? Back to you, Jack."

It is time for me to air. Hacking the GCN's broadcast frequencies was easy. Now, all I had to do was hook up the camera and audio receptors on the desk before me and address the public.

The cameras flashed to the image of Jack Ryder behind his desk, preparing to continue his report when suddenly, another flash filled the screen. When the white faded, I saw myself on the monitor, standing cane in hand and hat on head. I began to speak.

"Good morning, people of Gotham! It is I, the Riddler, once again to bring you the latest news within your beloved city! During my siege of City Hall, I indeed took poor Mayor Hady hostage. But what was he doing at City Hall at such an ungodly hour, you ask? Well, that's a good question, isn't it? Though I see it as more of a riddle. Perhaps your seemingly benevolent Mayor is just as twisted and corrupt as the officers of the GCPD. Oh, haven't you heard? Almost half of the Gotham police department was on Salvador Maroni's payroll. I have the documents here to prove it. So, you see? Your government wasn't nearly as trustworthy as you believed. That being said, I no longer believe myself worthy or capable of governing a city such as Gotham. I am stepping down from my position of dictatorship and false authority, but you'll hear more about that shortly. There is more pressing news that I must bring to your attention.

On the subject of the Batman, I'm afraid I have unsettling news. The Batman, as you've all feared, is dead. His body is being held securely in one of my safe houses around Gotham. I know you're all wondering how a seemingly unstoppable force for good could be routed once and for all. Well, Gotham, in the past I would have been proud to tell you of how I bested the Dark Knight, but as I stand here today, I tell you that killing Him is my most prevalent and terrible mistake yet and in years to come. Gotham, I admit, in my lust for greatness and revenge, I was blind. I have left the city I call home defenseless against the dangers that threaten it every day. Criminals run amok, children are too afraid to go to school, this city's fine citizens live in fear of men like me. But, I am here to tell you, people of Gotham, that I was struck by a bolt of enlightenment. I have already called all of my men to return to City Hall. The streets are no longer tainted by the presence of my gang. I have lowered the bridges around the city and will no longer hinder movement in and out, and most importantly, the earthquake machines have been disarmed and deactivated.

Comissioner Gordon, I am speaking to you. Please, come to City Hall. I've disabled every security system, every countermeasure, even the damn cameras. Mayor Hady has been released and is already on his way to the precinct."

I remove the hat from my head and drop it, along with my cane, to the floor.

"Gordon? Take me to Arkham. Take me home."


	14. If Only

"Well, Edward, you're well on your way to rehabilitation. I have reason to believe that you can be moved out of isolation and into the general population of patients here at Arkham within the next few weeks. Not only did you turn yourself in, but you feel remorse and regret. That is very good, Edward. Very good, indeed. It shows that you have realized your mistakes."

"Thank you, Doctor, but as I told you before, I don't require the guidance of a psychiatrist. It would be best if you spent your time assisting the ones in the asylum who are deeply disturbed and could actually benefit from your counseling."

"Edward, I know this is difficult for you to understand, but you do need help. You have committed countless acts of murder, threatened an entire city, are involved in criminal conspiracy, and you held the Mayor hostage for just under a week. Please just admit that you require therapeutic sessions and counseling."

"Dr. Sinner, you're angering me. Leave my cell immediately."

"Edward, I can't leave. I'm required to host therapy sessions with you."

"I am not in need of therapy. I want to be alone."

"Very well, Edward. But next week will be double blocked, understand?"

"Certainly, Doctor. You are dismissed."

I open the door of my cell, watched Dr. Sinner exit, and closed it behind her.

Officer Cash approached the door as I shut it and placed his hand on the palm scanner sealing the door with 5 locks and 2 ultra-powerful magnets.

My cell was relocated to the south block of the B4 level. I suppose Dr. Arkham now considered me to be a higher threat than before. I now occupied cell number 65. To my right, I could hear the Joker's laughter. To my left, I felt the chill of Victor Fries.

My new cell wasn't terrible. It sometimes got cold at night, but if I pressed my face against the solid glass wall across from the door in the back of the cell, I could gaze down the hallway and out the window to see Gotham's skyline.

I could've escaped whenever I wanted, but that was the problem. I didn't want to. There was nothing for me to do out there in the city. I'd have nowhere to go. I lost everything when I announced my surrender and I wouldn't be able to convince anyone to work for me even if I did have money because of the way I betrayed over 80 men. News travels quickly through Gotham's collection of mindless brutes.

After several weeks of model behavior, aside from a few verbal debates with Dr. Sinner, I was relocated from extreme isolation in the B4 block to surface level in B1. My new cell was the last in the hallway; 15.

Every day during lunch, I would get my food and sit by the guard room so I could peek through the window at the television. It was usually playing reruns of the day's airing of Good Morning, Gotham. Today was no different. I took my seat outside the guard room, turned toward the screen, began watching.

"Good morning, Gotham! This is your host, journalist Jack Ryder reporting live from the GCN newsroom. It's about 8:30 on this chilly Thursday morning and not only is the temperature dropping, but the city's crime rate as well! With only minor robberies and drunken scuffles to report in over 3 weeks, the city is as crime-free as it's ever been. The return of the Batman last week has once again shown Gotham's criminals that there will always be hope in Gotham City. Take it away, Vicki."

"Thanks, Jack. Good morning, folks. I'm Vicki Vale reporting live from the GCPD Headquarters in the North Burnley District, for an exclusive interview with Commissioner James Gordon. Although the commissioner doesn't usually accept interview requests, he'd like to take this time to explain the role of the police force to the citizens of Gotham. Good morning, Comissioner."

"Morning, Vicki."

"Comissioner, since the Riddler's surprising surrender several weeks ago, there hasn't been any notable criminal activity. Does your police force have anything to do with this decrease in crime?"

"Well, Vicki, I'll be frank with you. The Riddler killed many of Gotham's criminal kingpins during his ascension to power and with their deaths, many of the common criminals of the city have resorted to petty theft, and my boys at the precinct are taking more and more of them to Blackgate every day."

"Does the Batman's return have anything to do with this drop in the crime rate?"

"Well, Vicki, it's no secret that Batman has a powerful presence throughout the city, but he has been spending his time searching for the earthquake generators. We can't risk them falling into the wrong hands. Batman has assured me that he has things under control and that my force should spend its time patrolling the streets."

"Alright, Commissioner, it's been reported that all members of the Batman's 'family' are here in Gotham. Are these rumors true."

"Who the Batman brings to the city is none of my business. Any friend of Batman's is a friend to Gotham."

"Well, there you have it, folks. Commissioner Gordon has just explained the GCPD's role in the decrease in crime. Back to you, Jack."

"Thanks, Vicki. In other news, Gotham's own billionaire playboy, Bruce Wayne still has not returned to the city. While the CFO of Wayne Industries, Lucius Fox, as well as his butler, Alfred Pennyworth still refuse to comment on his whereabouts, we believe our city's gem to have met his end during the Riddler's reign of terror."

Every time I hear His name I shake.

If only I hadn't... If only He stopped me like He always does- always did.

If only I hadn't won.

I hope that whoever has donned the cowl is capable of defending the city from him. Him and I are both too intelligent to believe that this new caped crusader is the true Batman. He'll be here to face the impostor. It's all part of his twisted sense of honor. Santa Prisca is a place of war and honorable duels.

I only pray that the Bat-brats can stop him.

If they don't, Gotham will fall.

Bane is coming.

* * *

Hey, guys! I'm going to take a break from Edward's side of the story and start posting a direct tie-in from the Bat-Family's perspective. I'll there will be new chapters every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I will actually post them on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Thanks so much for reading and for all your great reviews! I would personally like to thank LoganAustinGrasso who has helped me throughout the writing of this story. PLEASE read some of his work. It's brilliant! Brospect!

I look forward to writing the next portion of the Nowhere-verse storyline. The first chapter will be posted on Friday!


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